The Gores, shown here at President Obama's inauguration, have decided to separate after 40 years of marriage. (Photo Credit: Getty Images/File)

(CNN) - Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, have sent an e-mail to family friends announcing a mutual decision to separate, a longtime family friend told CNN.

"We are announcing today that after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate," the message said. "This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration. We ask for respect for our privacy and that of our family, and we do not intend to comment further."

Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail but declined to comment further.

The couple, married for 40 years, has four grown children and three grandchildren.
Al and Tipper Gore's dramatic kiss on the podium of the Democratic National Convention in 2000 was credited for giving him a more human image in his presidential run.

"The sheer carnality of the kiss - the-can't-wait-to-get-back-to-the-hotel-room urgency, the sexual electricity flowing south - was riveting," Time magazine's Lance Morrow wrote at the time.

CNN Senior Political Analyst Gloria Borger described the kiss as "one of the most memorable moments of the campaign."

"For those of us who have watched political couples over the years this is sad," Borger said. "They are a genuine couple."

Since losing the 2000 presidential race, the former vice president has been active in environmental causes, but he has also pursued business interests.

He co-founded Generation Investment Management, a company that promotes "a new approach to sustainable investing." Gore is also the chairman of Current TV, a cable and satellite television network he co-founded. He also serves as a director for Google and Apple Computer.

His best-selling book about global warming - "An Inconvenient Truth" - was the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary film.

After leaving Washington and returning to Nashville, Tennessee, Tipper Gore considered but decided against a run for a U.S. Senate seat in her home state in 2002.

Read the full e-mail below:

Hi,

We wanted to share this personal news with you because we care so much about you as a friend:

We are announcing today that after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate.

This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration.

We ask for respect for our privacy and that of our family, and we do not intend to comment further.

Marriages end. At least Al Gore wasn't a hypocrite about family values.

June 1, 2010 01:08 pm at 1:08 pm |

Jeff

Hey, now that he's not going to be married to Tipper, he can finally see what the deal is with Dungeons and Dragons!

June 1, 2010 01:08 pm at 1:08 pm |

Bedford_____

I agree with DW for blame the climate change effect the mind and body. Al– thinks for more green and more beautiful roses ahead.
B.F

June 1, 2010 01:08 pm at 1:08 pm |

Arthur

It's amazing how teary eyed so many of you act, when in reality none of us really KNOW these people. All we ever know is what the media tells us...that's it. Perhaps their breakup is actually a good thing, and not something we should feel sad about?

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

boston

Well, it turns out Al and Tipper Gore did not inspire the book, Love Story, as Al proclaimed! Turns out it was written before he had met Tipper, but he had falsely claimed it was about them. Sorry to hear their news!

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

JLS2010

Tipper was warming and Gore was cooling, or was it the other way around...

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

Anonymous

She found out that Al and the whole global warming pitch is nothing but a SCAM!!!!!

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

Jacobite 1715

Wow...some of the posts on this article have no class or taste. I agree that this is not really breaking news, but the Gores are respected public figures that have devoted most of their adult lives to public service. Whether you agree or disagree with them, they have done, what is in their opinion, what is right for our nation. Have some respect and wish them well in this new portion of their lives.

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

matt

I wonder if this was caused by global warming?

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

tenover

So who gets the Internet?

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

Jack in CT

I wonder which one finally came out of the closet?

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

DrStan

Guess she didn't like him saying, "The debate is over!"

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

Leslie

Al Gore, made millions with his false science. He was a dishonest politician, who invented the internet.( my foot) He got away with his lies.
America fortunately didn't elect this fraud in 2000.

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

usualone

Why must people be so angry at everything? This is a personal decision the Gore's made and sarcasm or derogatory comments are not the answer. Those who are showing such hatred and anger at everything - especially at Democrats - probably never had to go through rough times in their lives. When one goes through such times, empathy comes into play. Having lost many jobs for various reasons, I did not get angry at the world. Those who put forth such ugly comments don't know how to handle stress and disappointment. Their lives will never be fulfilled.

June 1, 2010 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |

Michelle

That is a shock. Forty years and calling it quits? What happens at this point in marriage that you haven't already encountered and worked through during the last forty years? What kind of deal-breaker shows up? My mom said she wondered what they broke up over. I said I wondered WHO they broke up over. And before you say that Al Gore isn't good looking, just remember-if Larry King can find seven women to marry him, and maybe even a couple extras to cheat with, Al Gore can find somebody to get horizontal with.

June 1, 2010 01:10 pm at 1:10 pm |

Very Surprised

Thought it would have been the Clintons. But than Hillary still has a public job and did run for President just recently.

June 1, 2010 01:10 pm at 1:10 pm |

maggotmom

So sad to see a relationship of 40 years go down the drain. It happens. My parents were together for 30ish years and then split up becasue my mom could not handle the stress of his accident, or so she said, and married the jerk who was supposed to be my daddys best friend....huh

My best to Al and Tipper...before you sign papers try and talk it out. Maybe you both need a long vacation.

While Al maybe a little bit extreme he is just trying to help the enviroment and make people aware of what is going on. Slick William talked about Tipper and the Metal controversey.....I think she is a bit nuts for that one....everyone needs a little bit of metal in their lives.

June 1, 2010 01:10 pm at 1:10 pm |

Motherof 3

Wonder who will get the new 9 million dollar house he just bought....such a hypocrite, I would say Tipper finally saw through all his lies....she's much too classy and beautiful for him anyway. Just having to listen to him would bore me to death.... I'm sure she's had enough of his "green" crap!

June 1, 2010 01:10 pm at 1:10 pm |

fred

I can't help but remember that Al claimed that their relationship was so ideal that "Love Story" was base on them. So, this raises lots of questions, doesn't it?

June 1, 2010 01:10 pm at 1:10 pm |

Robert

For all of you asking for civility on this message board, how civil would it be if this were George and Laura Bush separating. I'm guessing not very civil.